It happened just last night.
The crickets changed their song.
You know what I’m talking about; that ever-so-subtle shift in nature that says, “Yes, it’s hot right now, but autumn is coming… soon.”
This, of course, makes me start thinking about the many things on my “to-do” list that I haven’t gotten done yet.
Of course, there are the “must-dos” such as resealing the deck and taking the snowblower in for maintenance. But fall makes me think more about the stuff I’d like to do, or that I’ve been meaning to do.
I mean, it’s Sourdough September; I should really get my starter going, so I can bake my own bread this winter. And while I’m thinking about things I haven’t managed to get done, I should probably get to work on making those candles I’ve been meaning to create since last year. After all, it is World Candle Month. And what about those shelves I keep saying I’m going to build for basement storage? September will be perfect for working out in the shop.
But, when it comes down to it, all I really want to do is watch the leaves change color and listen to the sounds of nature while I lounge on my deck, blanket over my lap, celebrating days like International Cabernet Day and Ginger Cat Appreciation Day (both Sept. 1st) with a fresh glass of vino and my orange tabby.
I don’t know if it’s the honey-gold light, the cool breeze on warm days, or the warm jewel-tone colors, but Autumn is my favorite time of the year.
There’s something about September that makes me want to slow down, take long walks and deep breaths, and enjoy the world around me.
Really, with the holidays approaching and the rush of summer waning, September is the perfect time to slow down and appreciate the world around us. To take time to check some of those “want-to-dos” off our list and let the “must-dos” lie for a little while longer.
Of course, you’re a small business owner. You’re a go-getter. So you’ll be using this “slow time” to gear up for the coming holiday season by planning out your holiday marketing strategy, ordering new merchandise, and double-checking your holiday decor.
But do yourself a favor. Slow down enough that you can be present in the moment. Embrace the change. And help your readers embrace it too.
And, as always, I’ll help you get started. Just take a look at the following September holidays, newsletter ideas, and subject lines and let the wild rumpus begin.
September holidays — 2023
- September 2nd – National Hummingbird Day – share the energy.
- September 4th – Labor Day – Take time to honor our American workers.
- September 6th – National Read a Book Day – Encourage reading by sharing your favorite book, starting a book club, or curating content from your local library.
- September 8th – Star Trek Day – Trekkies unite!
- September 10th – Swap Ideas Day – This is a great time to survey your readers to find out what they’d like to see in your newsletters.
- September 11th – Patriot Day – Also known as Remembrance Day. And, by those who lived it, it’s most often called, simply, “nine-eleven.”
- September 13th – Positive Thinking Day – Keep those positive thoughts going. You can do it.
- September 15th – National POW/MIA Recognition Day
- September 21st – World Gratitude Day – Express your gratitude for your customers.
- September 23rd – Fall Equinox
- September 23rd – The start of Seed Gathering Season (UK) – This may be a United Kingdom holiday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t share it with your audience.
- September 24th – World Rivers Day – While I’m partial to this day, I’d like it more if it was “World Rivers’ Day.” What a difference an apostrophe makes.
- September 28th – National Good Neighbor Day – Sign the pledge. Be a good neighbor.
September newsletter ideas
With so many great holidays this month, it’s difficult to just pick a few September holidays to provide newsletter ideas for. So, rather than focus on the individual holiday, let’s focus on themes and goals.
Newsletters that embrace and support your community
As a small business owner, the biggest advantage you have over the “big guys” is your ability to build and nurture relationships with your customers and especially your community.
So, take a look at September holidays such as National Food Bank Day (Sept. 1st), International Day of Charity (Sept. 5th), and World’s Biggest Coffee Morning (Sept. 29th) and set some space aside in your newsletter to:
- Build relationships. Partner with a local food bank and host a food drive to help them shore up their resources for the coming winter.
- Be a reliable resource. Share curated content from reputable sources to educate your readers on a related cause or local issue.
- Build trust. If you’re already partnering with a local charity, highlight the work you’ve been doing to help them and let your readers know how they can get involved as well.
Embrace and appreciate wildlife
Where I live, wildlife is a part of everyday life. So much so that the occasional hungry bear has been known to wander through my yard.
With September being Bear Necessities Month, I’m reminded that the local bear population is dwindling, and so are their resources. So when I had to remove some wild berry bushes that had grown too close to the house, I planted new berries in an area of my property where the occasional bear visitation wouldn’t bother anyone.
For me, things like that are just part of being a good neighbor, but not everyone has that kind of relationship with their environment.
You can help change that. This month, there is a plethora of wildlife-centric holidays, like National Wildlife Day (Sept. 4th), for instance. So use a section of your newsletter to celebrate and support your local wildlife by:
- Curating content to educate your readers on local wildlife.
- Telling stories about your own wildlife encounters.
- Providing a map of where they can find local parks, lakes, and recreational areas where they can get out, take walks, and observe some wildlife for themselves.
- Sharing information from your local parks and rec department on what type of wildlife can be seen this time of year and what to do, or not to do, when they are encountered.
- Supporting your community and the local wildlife by making arrangements to sponsor a local high school club in exchange for their work to clean up a local park or riverway. Then share the plan with your readers and join the students in the clean-up. The pictures and stories you gather from the event can provide your newsletter, blog, and social media pages with content all throughout the year.
Whatever holiday you highlight in your newsletter this month, whether you issue a challenge, offer advice, or ask your readers to share, include a branded hashtag and a custom hashtag — along with a corresponding post on social media — so you can easily find and like what they post!
September newsletter subject lines
- “Can we bank on your support?” – Nation Food Bank Day (Sept. 1st). Use this for hosting a food drive for your local food bank.
- “Can you feel the love?” – National Feel The Love Day (Sept. 7th). Great for showing customer appreciation.
- “Make it so” – Star Trek Day (Sept. 8th). Great for encouraging your readers to take action.
- “Maybe we are a little weird, but…” – Wonderful Weirdos Day (Sept. 9th). If your brand has a wild personality, you can use this for just about anything.
- “Let’s shake things up” – National Chocolate Milkshake Day (Sept. 12th). Perfect for announcing a change to your business.
- “Don’t shake this off” – National Chocolate Milkshake Day (Sept. 12th). For sharing a discount, asking for honest feedback, or sharing a quality chocolate milkshake recipe.
- “We’re positive you’re going to love this” – Positive Thinking Day (Sept. 13th).
- “This is positively adorable” or a variation thereof – Positive Thinking Day (Sept. 13th). From teddy bears to children’s were, use this for highlighting a particularly cute piece of merchandise.
- “Don’t be a stranger” – National Sit With a Stranger Day (Sept. 16th). Great for sending newsletters to customers who haven’t made a purchase from you for a while.
- “Stranger things have happened” – National Sit With a Stranger Day (Sept. 16th). When announcing something unusual happening, like a big sale, a food drive, or an emergency closing.
- “Let the rivers run” – World Rivers Day (Sept. 24th). Great for announcing a riverway cleanup project, a charity fun run, or a race specifically for people named River (depending on your choice of capitalization, of course).
- “Just a little love note” – Love Note Day (Sept. 26th ). Show your customers some love.
For more September holidays and ideas on what you can do to share them with your customers, download the graphic below. Or, use our Online Marketing Calendar to start planning your holiday marketing strategy while you still have time.
September 2023 Marketing and Holiday Planning infographic
